Fuel Cell Vehicle and Vehicle

• US 20070246295A1
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Aso, Shinji
• Application Number:
  US11/660,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20070246295A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 181/256
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/04 concerning exhaust collecting exhaust gases with central suction systems not forming part of vehicles, e.g. in workshops or tunnels B08B15/002, otherwise along carriageways E01C1/005; extensions for melting snow on roads E01H5/00, E01H6/00; exhaust or silencing apparatus for internal combustion engines per se F01N; pipes, joints or supports therefor F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/08 Insulating elements, e.g. for sound insulation sound insulating linings for trains B61D17/185; drivers' cabs for load-carrying vehicles insulated against vibrations or noise B62D33/0604; thermal or acoustic insulation of engines F02B77/11; damping of sounds using compensation by electro-acoustic methods G10K11/178
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0884 for mounting around noise sources, e.g. air blowers
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/04 Sound-producing devices G10K15/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0662 Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell vehicle capable of generating running noise that does not feel unnatural based on the driving situation by noting and effectively utilizing the fact that a muffling section is provided on a gas piping line of a fuel cell system. In a fuel cell vehicle (1) in which a fuel cell system (3) equipped with a muffling section (20) on a gas piping line (5) is mounted, the muffling capability of the muffling section (20) is variable based on the driving situation of the fuel cell vehicle (1). In a low-speed driving situation, the muffling capability of the muffling section (20) is lowered. For example, the muffling section (20) has a direction control valve (24) that changes over between a muffler (21) and a bypass passage (23), based on the driving situation. The direction control valve (24) may be mechanically operated based on the gas flow speed, or its changeover operation may be controlled by means of a control device (51).

Claims

1. A fuel cell vehicle in which a fuel cell system having a muffling section on a gas piping line is mounted,

wherein the muffling capability of the muffling section can be lowered in a driving situation where the fuel cell vehicle runs at low speeds or in an urban area and the muffling capability of the muffling section can be increased in a driving situation where the fuel cell vehicle runs at high speeds or in a suburban area.

4. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the muffling section comprises a muffler that is capable of muffling sound by introducing gas from the gas piping line, and

the interior of the muffler has

at least two muffling spaces of different muffling capability, and

changeover means that changes over the at least two muffling spaces based on the driving situation.

5. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the muffling section comprises

a muffler which muffles sound by introducing gas from the gas piping line,

a bypass passage that bypasses the muffler, and

changeover means that changes over to either of the muffler or the bypass passage based on the driving situation.

6. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the muffling section comprises

at least two mufflers capable of muffling sound by introducing gas from the gas piping line, the at least two mufflers having mutually different muffling capability, and

changeover means that changes over the at least two mufflers based on the driving situation.

7. The fuel cell vehicle according to any of claims 4 to 6, further comprising

detection means that detects the driving situation and

a control device that controls the changeover action of the changeover means based on the detection means.

8. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the detection means is a flow meter that detects the gas flow rate and is provided in the gas piping line.

9. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the detection means is a vehicle speedometer that detects the speed of the fuel cell vehicle.

10. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the detection means detects the position of the fuel cell vehicle.

11. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the detection means detects the position of the fuel cell vehicle using a GPS signal.

12. The fuel cell vehicle according to any of claims 4 to 6, further comprising

a pressurizing device provided on the gas piping line, the pressurizing device delivering oxidizing gas under pressure to a fuel cell, and

a control device that controls the pressurizing device based on the driving situation, wherein

the control device controls the changeover action of the changeover means based on the flow rate of oxidizing gas estimated from a control instruction value supplied to the pressurizing device.

13. The fuel cell vehicle according to any of claims 4 to 6, further comprising

detection means that detects the driving situation,

reporting means that reports to an occupant of the vehicle the detection result obtained by the detection means, and

manual control means capable of manually controlling changeover of the changeover means by manual control performed by the occupant of the vehicle.

14. The fuel cell vehicle according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the changeover means performs changeover mechanically based on the flow speed of gas flowing therethrough.

15. The fuel cell vehicle according to any of claims 4 to 14, wherein the changeover means is a direction control valve.

16. The fuel cell vehicle according to any of claims 4 to 15, wherein the muffler is provided on the downstream side of a fuel cell in the gas piping line.

17. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

detection means that detects the driving situation and

a control device that varies the muffling capability of the muffling section based on the detection means.

18. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the detection means is a flow meter that detects the gas flow rate and is provided in the gas piping line.

19. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the detection means is a vehicle speedometer that detects the speed of the fuel cell vehicle.

20. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the detection means detects the position of the fuel cell vehicle.

21. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the detection means detects the position of the fuel cell vehicle using a GPS signal.

22. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a pressurizing device provided on the gas piping line, the pressurizing device delivering oxidizing gas under pressure to a fuel cell, and

a control device that controls the pressurizing device based on the driving situation, wherein

the control device varies the muffling capability of the muffling section based on the flow rate of oxidizing gas estimated from a control instruction value supplied to the pressurizing device.

23. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

detection means that detects the driving situation,

reporting means that reports to an occupant of the vehicle the detection result obtained by the detection means, and

manual control means capable of manually varying the muffling capability of the muffling section by manual control performed by the occupant of the vehicle.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

24. A vehicle comprising:

a drive source that generates drive energy by being supplied with gas by means of gas piping;

an exhaust system that discharges gas from the drive source; and

a muffling section provided in the exhaust system, wherein

the muffling capability of the muffling section can be lowered in a driving situation where the fuel cell vehicle runs at low speeds or in an urban area and the muffling capability of the muffling section can be increased in a driving situation where the fuel cell vehicle runs at high speeds or in an suburban area.